1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to multi-phase fluid measurement apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for measuring flow parameters and composition of a multi-phase fluid in a well environment.
2. Background Art
In oil and gas exploration industries, a production pipe is centered in a conventional well to carry production fluids to a surface platform. The production pipe may have a plurality of valves to regulate fluid flow from within the well. Each of the valves is typically adjustable using a sliding sleeve which is moved along the pipe to increase or decrease the size of an opening in the production pipe. The valves are typically adjusted mechanically or hydraulically by using a tubing-conveyed tool which is inserted into the well to adjust each valve.
It is highly desirable to optimize the total flow from the well since each well and/or portions thereof may contain differing compositions of water, gas, and oil. Currently, to optimize the total flow from the well, a trial-and-error technique is used to adjust each valve individually. Thus, a corresponding change in the total flow is measured to determine if the adjustment optimized the fluid flow. This process of optimizing fluid flow in the well is a very expensive, time consuming, and inaccurate and requires an interruption in well production during valve adjustments.
Thus, there is a need for an easily implemented and more efficient method and apparatus for measuring fluid parameters, such as composition of the production fluid, flow rate, pressure, and temperature to optimize production.